Ῥεβέκκα (Rhebekka)
Rhebekka
Rebekah
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The name Rhebekka identifies Rebekah, the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau. In the New Testament, this proper noun appears only once, in Romans 9:10. The source material defines its Hebrew origin as meaning "ensnarer," a translation that reflects the complex family dynamics and divine election central to her story.
Paul uses this single reference to illustrate that God’s choice is not determined by natural birth order or human effort, but by His own sovereign purpose. By naming Rebekah specifically, the text highlights her role in the lineage of Israel, connecting the patriarchal narratives directly to the theological arguments about grace and calling found in the epistle.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Rebekah appears in the New Testament within a dense theological discussion in Romans 9. Paul mentions her briefly to show that God’s choice of Jacob over Esau happened before they were born or did anything good or bad. This highlights that divine election rests on God’s purpose, not human effort or birth order.
For your faith, this reminds us that our standing with God is rooted in His grace. We do not earn our place through lineage or works. Instead, we are called according to His plan. This brings comfort, knowing that God’s promises are secure and not dependent on our perfection.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Rebecca1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Ῥεβέκκα1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 9:10
Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.
Paul cites Rebekah to demonstrate that God's sovereign choice occurred before the twins' birth, emphasizing election by purpose rather than works.